REDwater Kitchen | Spearfish SD

Before REDwater Kitchen was even open, I was already excited. The spoon and knife logo hinted to a farm to table concept that was in high demand in the Black Hills dining scene.

The beautiful brick exterior and patio seating promised that summertime in Spearfish could be enjoyed most anytime from REDwater's prime location. I. Could. Not. Wait.

Ironically, it wasn't until the dead of winter that my daughter and I wandered in for a late lunch. I forgot all about the summertime patio seating when I stepped inside and was greeted with an atmosphere full of lively conversations, great music, gorgeous lighting, and the smell of delicious food.

What took me so long?

My daughter was immediately impressed with the Wikki Stix offerings that kept her busy from the moment we sat down. It was a welcome gift as we all know how easily bored kids can get.

She loved them so much that our server, Keeley, gave her a few more packs - and even some to bring home to her sister.

Claire had a bit of an upset stomach and Keeley suggested ginger ale to settle it. We gratefully accepted - the service we received started off as stellar and stayed that way.

The kids menu offered the usual suspects. The fun/surprise addition was the popcorn cauliflower. While my youngest son would love these choices, Claire decided to order off of the adult menu "to try something grown up."

Speaking of "grown up," we were there during happy hour and Redwater was full off customers taking advantage of beer and cocktail specials.

Mixologist, Kristjan Oleson, was busy suggesting and creating cocktails for patrons, and I immediately thought of how much my husband would like this place.

I'll bring him back when I'm not working so we can try some of Kristjan's suggestions. In the meantime, I just lived through everyone else.

If you aren't in the mood for what's on tap, a killer cocktail OR a glass of wine (are you living your best life?!), you can walk over to Spearfish Brewing Company (they share an interior entrance to make access as easy as can be) and grab a local craft brew to bring back your table.

Okay, so now that I've filled you in on the atmosphere, service, and beverages, lets get to the main event, shall we?

The. Food.

First up is what Claire was eyeing all along when she pretended to consider the children's menu. The Provolette appetizer. A cute cast iron skillet came out loaded with provolone cheesy goodness, topped with chimichurri and hot pepper flakes. The warm garlic toast to scoop it all up with was her favorite. "Mooooooom. You have to try this."

She was right. It's insanely good.

Up next was the wedge salad. The stand out star of their wedge is two-fold. The blue cheese dressing is so good. I wanted to ask what their secret is. And if they wouldn't share, could I buy this by the quart??

I never did ask but you better believe I will the next time I'm there.

The chicken and waffles were ordered mostly for the men in my life that I left at home. They loved it. Fried chicken topped with thick bacon and sandwiched between warm waffles. I just loved looking at it!

My son is still talking about the fries - seasoned perfectly.

As we paused and waited for the next dish (at this point, we needed epic amounts of boxes to take all this food home ... and yet ... we kept ordering), I looked up their brunch menu (we had missed it by a few hours - completely not cool with someone who loves breakfast as much we do). I will talk my family into coming back next weekend. It just has to happen.

Pineapple pancakes and brioche french toast - this is as close to big city breakfast as we can get. (Reminds me so much of Snooze in Denver!)

The last dish we ordered was the Cauliflower. We are talking about buffalo sauce and that insanely good blue cheese dressing again.

Hearty but healthy (ish). Perfect for someone like me who doesn't eat a lot of meat. This was my hands-down favorite dish - although you might like to ask for a side of extra sauce like I did.

Meanwhile, my daughter is still talking about the provolette and asking if we have to take the french fries home to the guys?!

So. Good.

Claire and I loved our late afternoon lunch at REDwater. I cannot wait to come back for a date night with my husband AND breakfast with the whole family.

With a huge blackboard displaying all the locally sourced ingredients, Redwater showcases the farm to table movement in a way that reaches locals ... and draws the tourists.

Well done, REDwater. Will be back soon for a cozy winter brunch. BUT, also, cannot wait for that summertime patio spot ...